Tablet dispenser



. n. BED/aux TABLET bIsrENsER ocr. 24, 1;50v

Fihd 0d. 23, 1948 FIGA - INVENToR.

' ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED? srars. "PATNTI OFFICE Application Octber 23, 1946, serial No. 56,112 Y In France April 2, 1948 This invention relates to dispensers and more particularly to a container and dispenser of tablets of either a pharmaceutical or confectionary nature or the like. v' I" 'l The article of the/present -invention comprises a compact, generally cylindrical container which may be carried about in either a'pocket or a' purse and which is eiective in dispensing individual tablets asrequired. i

A quantity of 'stacked tablets, generally circular in form, are maintained in'the dispenser which is formed with a rdischarge outlet for dispensing single tablets. `In'order tolavoid uncertainty or haphazard operation of the device, each tablet is ejected by a positive pushing action at the same time that the dischargefoutlet isuncovered, Thus; it lisunnecessary to' shake or otherwise vagitate the dispenser thereby avoiding ejection of more than the required tabletsand affording smooth and 'effective operation.

The detailed operation ofthe dispenserr aswell as the objects of the Ainstant invention will be lfurtherv understood from the following description and drawings, in which v Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the dispenser Fig. 2 is a disassembled view-thereof; Fig. 3 is a section along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section along the lines -d of Fig. 2. Fig; 5 is a section along the lines 5--5 of Fig. l. The dispenser comprises a hollow, cylindrical, elongated body IIB which may be iabricatetil of metal, plasticv or any other suitable material. Stacked within `the body vIII is a plurality of individual tablets II'which are indicated as being circular in the manner of aspirin tablets or certain vitamin pills. Body Il! is formed with a neck I2 designed to engage the cap I3-When the dispenser is in'closed'condition.y Integral with neck I2 `vis' the extending arcvl'which, inthe form shown, occupies about 160 degreesof acircle. Secured to the innerA wall'of-larc 'I4 is the tongue or arm I5 whichservesfasthe' ejector for individual tablets. v 1 f f Tongue I5 is connected-Tas by lsolderfor the like, at its end IE'to arc III; 'Theiother end I'I is therefore free. Tongue'l is preferably, but not necessarily, fabricated of aresilient, flexible metal such as thinfspringsteel of anormal curvature which is greater than the curv-aturefof the cylindrical'bodyv II). Accordingly, thetohgue f vI5,- a`nd particularly'its free en'd .'I'I, 'tend to remaininwardly irl-respecttotheinner periphery of body I0 asillustrated in Fig. Q'

Cap I3is'f'orrned withia lateral discharge outlet 2B which, in theform shown", occupieseslightly 12 claims. (c1. 5266-42) less than'180 degrees of the circular formation f of thel cap. The floor of the c-ap supports a platform 2l kupon which rest the tablets. Platform 2i is circular and of lesser diameter than that of the cap I3 so as to 'form an annular slot 22-between the platform 2I and the cylindrical wall' of the cap. Platform 2| is further formed with a somewhat arcuate slot 23 extending to the floor of the cap and from the edge to the center of the'platform. The thickness of platform 2l is less than the height of tongue I5 for purposes which will be hereinafter made clear.

` When the cap I3 is applied over the neck I2,

both the arc lf3 and tongue I5 enter the annular slot or groove 22 so as to permit completefen- Vgagement of the cap by the neck I2. It may be found, in some instances, that in order to secure such engagement, the cap should be turneduntil these parts fall into'a natural engaging position, such' position being insured when the tongue I5 is in the region of arcuate slot 23. f Inasmuch as tongue I5 isof greater height than the'width of platform 2l, it will extend over slot 213 to a height-which Vis arranged to be approximatel the width of the tablet to be dispensed. f

Arc III forms the closurefor discharge outlet 2i? in the closed position of the container. `When the body IIB is rotated with respect to cap I3 (for example, in a clockwise direction) the arc I4 will ride in the slot or groove 22 until it uncovers the discharge outlet 2t. At the same time, the -free end Il of tongue I5, being inwardly biased, will enter-arcuate slot 23 and, guided by the Wall 24 thereof, will ride into the slot and will be further biased away from arc I4. When the body is rotated in a reverse direction, the tongue I5 will leave the slot 23 at the Sametime that the extension comes around and closes the discharge outlet. That portion of the groove 22 which admits only the arc Iii may be formed slightly narrower than theremainderso that the tongue, when being rotated, can only enter the slot'23. f lThefinstant invention is practiced asfollows; Body Iii is illed with a quantity of tablets II as illustrated by the dotted lines of Fig. 1". vCap I3 is, then applied and engaged byjneck I2, `the arc I4 entering the annular slot or groove"22". By rotating the cap slightly, the engagement may be properly'efected. The dispenser is held in thel 'vertical positionillustrated in Fig. 1, and the body I @rotated in a clockwise direction. The cap, of course, may be rotated in a counter'-A clockwise direction instead, only relative rotaL tion being necessary. rAs the body ID rotates,the

let 20, rides `around the slot 22 so as to exposethe discharge opening and the lowermost tablet IIa. As the slot becomes completely exposed so as to permit the exit of the tablet, the tongue I5 rides around the arcuate slot 23 as illustrated in Fig. 5. The slot 23 is radial in that it extends generally along la radius of the circular platform 2l. The tongue l5 being higher than the slot, .pushes against the tablet IIa as illustrated in said Fig. 5 and forces it through the discharge opening. The tablet may be then easily removed by the fingers, while the next succeeding tablet' is retained by the upper edge of tongue I5. The body l is then rotated in a reverse direction so that the tongue l is caused to leave slot 23 while arc I4 closes the discharge opening. Such next succeeding tablet thereupon drops into position on platform 2| and the operation may be repeated.

If it is desired to limit counter-clockwise movement of the body, a protuberance 25 may be formed in the slot 22 so that the leading edge of are I4 will strike such protuberance 25 when the discharge opening is completely covered. Ac-

cordingly, the body I0 will have two limits of rotational movement. The first limit is effected by the stop action of slot 23 on enclosed tongue I5 .in the open position of the discharge outlet, and the second limit is effected by the stop action of the protuberance 25 on the leading edge of arc I4 in the closed position of the discharge outlet.

It can be seen from the foregoing that a dispenser has been `provided which can eject only one tablet at a time and wherein such ejection is lautomatic and accompanies the opening of the normally closed discharge outlet. Agitation of .the dispenser is unnecessary and the discharge of the tablets is effected singly as required.

While there has been described what at present is considered a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be evident that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from its spirit. It is there- `fore aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. A dispenser for tablets comprising a hollow, elongated body adapted to contain a stacked pile of tablets, a cap rotatably engaged by said body .and enclosing one end thereof, said cap being formed with a lateral discharge opening for ejecting individual tablets, a platform on the Vfloor of said cap, said cap being formed with an .annular groove between said platform and the wall of said cap, an arcuate extension on said body receivable in said annular groove for normally closing said discharge opening, and a pusher member connected to said arcuate extension and actuated by relative rotation between said body and said cap for forcibly ejecting tablets through said discharge opening.

2. A dispenser according to claim l and wherein said platform is formed with a radial slot communicating with said annular groove, said pusher member being adapted to ride in said radial slot while said extension rides in said annular groove during exposure of said discharge opening and ejection of a tablet therethrough.

3. A dispenser according to claim 2 and wherein said pusher member comprises a thin metallic spring arm connected at one end thereof to an inner wall of said arcuate extension, the other end thereof being free and biased inwardlyin respect to said arcuate extension.

4. A dispenser for tablets comprising a hollow, elongated, cylindrical body adapted to contain a stacked pile of circular tablets, a cap rotatably engaged by said body and enclosing one end thereof, said cap being formed with a lateral discharge opening for ejecting individual tablets and having an annular groove formed at the closed end thereof andadjacent its inside wall, said cap having further formed thereon an arcuate, substantially radial slot adjacent the floor thereof, an arcuate extension on said body receivable in said annular groove for normally closing said discharge opening, and a thin spring arm connected at one end thereof to an inner wall of said arcuate extension, the other end thereof being free and biased inwardly in respect to said arcuate extension, both said arcuate extension and said spring arm being receivable in said annular groove and said spring arm being further receivable in said arcuate slot during relative rotation of said body and cap.

5. A dispenser according to claim 4 and including a circular platform formed on the floor of said cap, said annular groove being formed between said platform and the inner wall of said cap, and said arcuate slot being substantially formed along a radius of said platform.

V6.l A dispenser for tablets comprising a hollow, cylindrical, elongated body adapted to contain a stacked pile of circular tablets, a cylindrical cap rotatably engaged by said body and enclosing one end thereof, said cap being formed with a lateral discharge opening for ejecting individual tablets, a circular platform on the iloor of said cap, said platform being of lesser diameter than the oor of said cap and forming an annular groove between itself and the cylindrical wall of said cap, said platform being further formed with an arcuate, substantially radial slot communicating with said annular groove, an arcuate extension on said body receivable and rotatable in said annular groove for normally closing said discharge opening, and a spring arm pusher member connected at one end thereof to said arcuate extension and having the other end thereof free and biased inwardly in respect to said arcuate extension, said spring arm being receivable in said annular groove together with said arcuate extension and being guided into said arcuate slot by relative rotation between said body and said cap so that the free end of said spring arm is caused to travel inwardly toward the center of said platform, said inward travel of said free end being operative to push a tablet through said discharge opening.

7. A dispenser according to claim 6 and wherein said spring arm is of a greater height than said arcuate slot whereby a portion thereof extends aboveV said arcuate slot for bearing against and discharging a tablet.

8. A dispenser according to claim 7 and wherein said spring arm enters said arcuate slot at substantially the same time as said arcuate extension exposes said discharge opening.

9. A dispenser according to claim 8 and including stop means at both limits of travel of said arcuate extension and spring arm during both open and closed positions of said discharge opening.

1Q. A dispenser for tablets comprising a hollow, elongated body, an end member on said body, said Aend member being formed with a lateral discharge opening for ejecting individual tablets from .a stacked pile thereof contained in said body, said en d member beingrrotatably engaged l l5 Y. by said body and enc osing one endthereof, a slot communicating withl said annular groove, spring arm pusher member connected to said said pusher member being adapted to enter said end member so as to be actuated by 'relative rotaslot after riding in said groove, the entrance of tion between said body and said'end member, said pusher member into said slot eiecting a and means to guide said'spring arm member 5 discharge of the lowermost tablet through said radially inwardly during such relative rotation discharge opening.

so as to effect contact with the lowermost of said stacked pile .of tablets so as to forcibly eject' said lowermost tablet through said discharge Y REFERENCES CITEDk opening. y n 10 The following references are of record in the 11; A dispenser according to claim 10i and 1 fue of this partent; i

wherein said means includeV a platform at one i end of said dispenser and spaced from the body UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT V1=zsifnfiinr of the dispenser by an annular groove, said Number Name Date spring arm pusher member being receivable in 15 1,158,552 Perry Nov. 2, 1915 said annular groove so as to b e guided thereby FOREIGN PATENTS and rlding therem during said relative rotation l Number Country Date 12. A dispenser according to claim 11 and 413375 Great Britain 0m"- 25 1934 wherein said platform is formed with a radial ,o 

